Columbia, South Carolina -----United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Christopher E. Miller, age 26, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina, for possession of child pornography, a violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2252A. Senior United States District G. Ross Anderson, Jr., sentenced Miller to 97 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment fee.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that agents received information that someone located in Greenville, South Carolina, was using peer-to-peer software to download child pornography via the internet. Investigative efforts allowed law enforcement to determine the IP address that was utilized to download the child pornography. The Federal Bureau of Investigation then traced the IP address to Miller’s home.

Agents executed a search warrant at Miller’s home in Greenville. They seized computers from the home and conducted a forensic examination. Agents discovered hundreds of still images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.